Cord holder



June 6, 1939,

G. DORMAN CORD HOLDER Filed March 2, 1938 illl IIIIIIIIH w Jnoentor GERsqu Dunmnu attorney Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved cord holder for holding excess lengths of current conducting cords of lamps, radios, and other electrical devices or apparatus.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of an improved cord holding container and releasing means which is inexpensive to manufacture, neat in appearance, and practical in its application.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character which will be free from mechanical manipulation, and provide a cover for the cord to protect it from the dirt and dust which these cords usuallypick up in the course of a short period.

With the above and other novel objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent the several novel features of the invention in its preferred form will be more fully described in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder showing the manner in which the cord is looped therein.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of holder.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of still another modification of the holder.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a lamp and supporting table, illustrating how the holder is used.

Fig. 6 is a view reduced in size of a holder showing the holder partly in section and partly in elevation, in which, the holder is made in two vertical sections.

In the form of the invention here illustrated, the holder comprises an elongated cylindrical tube having a side Wall I and converging end sections 2 and 2". These end sections may be 40 formed from and be a part of the body portion I,

or may be formed separate and secured to the central body portion by glueing or in any other suitable manner, depending upon the character of the material to be united. The holder may be made of Cellophane, fibre, rubber, Bakelite, or other materials best suited for the purpose.

The specific structure of the preferred form is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The holder is divided into two parts I and I. The opening 3 between the 60 two parts extends substantially from the letter A to the letter B in the directions of the arrows, the remaining connecting portion I' supports the two halves in a normally closed position as shown in Fig. 2. Each part of the end members is provided with a cutaway portion forming an opening I and I through which the cords may be extended as shown in Fig. 1. In manufacturing this type, the holder and particularly the portion I is made of some resilient material such as rubber, fibre, and the like in order that the two sections may be sprung apart as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 to allow for the insertion of the lamp cord.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate modified forms of the holder. The type shown in Fig. 3 has substituted for the resilient connecting portion I' a hinge member 6 and at the top there is provided a latch 8 for holding the two sections closed. The sections, however, may be held together by any other suitable means. If the holder is constructed of metal or other materials of a less resilient character, the holder may be made in the form shown in Fig. 4. In this form and in line with the opening 3 between the sections I and I is a raised rib member ID. This raised rib member is positioned substantially along the body member between the points A and B similar to the connect ing portion I' in Fig. l. The rib is shown extending upwardly within the confines of the outer wall member I, but it may also extend on the opposite and outer side of the wall should it be more convenient for the manufacture thereof. This rib member increases the resiliency of the body along this area and enables the body member to be more easily opened. The top may be held together by the latch I2, or the opening may be without the latch as shown in Fig. 2. The latch means may be optional and the sections may be held closed by any conventional type of springing action.

The form of holder shown in Fig. 6 is composed of two hollow sections, Ia and lb, and a fastening means about their adjacent edges for holding the two sections together and in line to form a continuous hollow body. The sections of the holder are conveniently held together by making a portion of one of the sections slidably receivable upon the other. A small portion 20 of section la is contracted to allow the wall member I of section Ib to be received thereon. A small pin. 2| may be secured in the portion 20 to operate within a bayonet slot 22 for locking the members after they have been telescoped. The other features of the holder are quite similar to those shown and described in the previous figures. Each of the sections Ia and Ib are provided with an opening I and 1' respectively through which the ends of the cord may be extended. The sections also are provided with the longitudinal opening 3 extending along one side of the holder through the openings I and 7.

The body portion of the holder need not necessarily be of cylindrical form but may take any desired shape without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In use the holder is opened by moving the sections apart and the cord is looped and placed therein as shown in Fig. 1. One end of the cord 4 will extend through the opening 1 and be connected With the contacting plug l6 and the opposite end of the cord 4' Will extend through the opening 1 leading to the lamp or other appliance. The holder is adapted to hold several feet of the cord, and if the cord is unusually long several holders may be used on the same cord.

While the invention is shown and describes a preferred form of the device it will be understood that it has been done merely for clarification and that the invention is best defined in the following claim.

I claim:

An adjustable electric cord assembly, comprising in combination an electric cord having a section thereof folded in a plurality of loops, the end portions of said cord extending outwardly in opposite directions from said fold, an elongated casing for retaining said cord loops having small openings in its end sections slightly larger than the said cord for accommodating the said extended end portions of said cord, a slot of uniform width extending along one side of said casing and connecting with the said end openings through which the said cord is admitted to the casing and means for normally holding the said slot in closed position.

GERSON DORMAN. 

